If you and your fiance share a special place, a destination wedding may be something to consider. Destination weddings may, at first, seem like a challenge to plan, but they are a great way of bringing people together, and adding some extra fun and romance. Break the mold of the typical "destination wedding" by opening up your choice of location. Although beach destination weddings in Mexico or the Caribbean are certainly a popular choice, destinations such as Africa, Italy, Scotland, France, or, if you're prepared for a long haul, New Zealand or Australia can offer an equally picturesque and exciting experience. Once you have your destination, don't be afraid to play with it! Play with the theme of your location, a Safari wedding for Africa, a luau for Hawaii, or arrange unique activities for you and your guests, like scuba diving, or horseback riding. A destination wedding offers endless possibilities and can be unforgettable for host and guests!

With its blended culture, Canada has its own wedding traditions which can be a mix of North American and French traditions. For example, the bride and groom can ask for monetary gifts, to help them with the wedding. By invite their friends and family to a party where they can collect money. There is also the trousseau tea social, where the bride's mother can set up a social and have her daughter's dress on display. Finally, there are also old traditions where the groom and his party actually pick up the bride at her home and they travel to the church together in a procession where they are greeted by well-wishers.

If a huge sports fan is lucky enough to have a partner who will agree to a sports-themed wedding, then you know it's true love! A sports-themed wedding is easy to do. Why not incorporate your favorite team's colors into your wedding, or even yet their logo? Even better, if the bride and groom root for opposing teams, it can be a "head to head" theme, where both teams are incorporated into the wedding theme. Maybe have your "ringbearer" dressed in football, baseball or basketball uniforms, while carrying the appropriate gear and flowergirls can be dressed as cheerleaders. You can decorate your reception area with the colors and banners of your team, or even made up to look like your favorite stadium!

Perhaps the term "American Wedding Customs" may seem like an oxymoron - after all, many "Americans" came from Europe long ago, thus many of these immigrants brought their own customs to this country and perhaps have been adapted to modern times. Still, there are still some customs which have come to have that distinct American flavor. Cutting the cake and feeding it to each other symbolizes that this is the first thing a couple does together. Throwing rice (or birdseed) as they exit the church is also distinctly American. And perhaps something that is hardly seen anywhere else is the tradition of tying cans and other noisemakers on the back of the bridal car.

The "luck of the Irish" seems to extend even in weddings. The Irish have their own customs when getting married, rooted deep in their culture and traditions. The day of an Irish wedding is important - Saturday is considered unlucky, thought marrying on St. Patrick's day is considered the luckiest day of the year to get hitched. Braided hair is a symbol of feminine power and luck, thus many Irish brides wear their hair this way. Lavander (the flower) is very lucky, and brides place these eveywhere - in their hair and bouquet in particular.

Our friends across the pond have their own wedding traditions, and perhaps some of them have even been brought and adapted to the United States. One very traditional wedding custom is to have the bride carry a horseshoe on her personally during the wedding. This is said to bring her (and future husband) good luck. The carrying of the bride over the threshold also has roots in England, where the groom carries his new wife and crosses the doorway of their new home - just in case the bride forgets to use her right foot first, bringing them bad luck. One of the oldest traditions, which is having the bride wear a white dress, came from Victorian times, and symbolized her purity as she came into the marriage.

Weddings are supposed to be a beautiful and formal occasions brides and grooms plan on, but no matter how much you prepare for it, many bloopers can still happen. One bride who was so nervous before the wedding gobbled down about a dozen Hors d'œuvre and washed it down with some champagne. During the ceremony when she was supposed to say "I do," the appetizers made an encore, which was captured in the wedding video. Beach weddings may seem like a good idea, but during one couple's ceremony, the seagulls came by and kept disturbing the vow-taking, before some groomsmen were able to shoo the uninvited guests away. Kids can be precious, but unpredictable! One precocious little flower girl, perhaps exhausted from her duties, walked to the altar in the middle of the ceremony to ask the priest (and everyone with earshot) "IS IT DONE YET?!"

Calla Lilies are a favorite symbol at weddings. The pure white color and trumpet shaped flower make a beautiful addition to a bouquet and this symbolizes rebirth and resurrection (ironically making it a symbol of funerals as well.) But don't think it's a boring theme for a wedding - they come in different colors as well, including yellow and pink. Aside from placing them in a bouquet, you can also place them along the pews of the church, "trumpeting" the arrival of the bride as she walks down the aisle. Or, why not have a fresh arrangement at the reception, where you can admire their beauty.

Even in these modern times, there are many wedding etiquette guidelines which we are expected to follow, both as guests or as part of the wedding party. Now, it's considered polite to let anyone know in advanced (even up to a year) that you're getting married through Save the Date cards (Facebook status messages are still considered tacky.) Some people feel differently about taking pictures inside the church, though it would be good to ask the pastor or priest before the wedding day about it, as its best to respect their rules. Having children at the wedding is also another sensitive topic, but it can easily be solved by adding "Adults Only Reception" on the invitation.